Howl's Moving Castle: A Different View
by LoneMouse444
Summary: Ever wonder how Markl got to the Moving Castle? Read to find out! My second fanfic, please R&R! From Markl and Howl's POV
1. Chapter 1: Hide and Seek

**Hey everyone! LoneMouse here! This is my second fanfic and I really hope you like it! And remember, please review! And if you have any constructive criticism, I would appreciate it if you shared it with me so I can fix whatever I'm doing wrong :)**

Chapter One: Hide and Seek

"...8, 9, 10!" I open my eyes and see the empty field in front of me. "Ready or not, here I come!" I look around and see none of my friends in sight. _They must have found really good hiding spots!_ I tell myself as I start searching for them.

I decide to find Borin first, and I spot a tree a couple yards away. I run towards it, and slow down as I approach. I grab the trunk and slowly peek to the other side of the trunk. "IIIIII found you!" I exclaim as I jump out from behind the tree. "Hm? Well, I guess I'm looking in the wrong place..." I wonder aloud as I walk away from the tree.

_This place is so empty! Where would they be able to hide?_ I sigh and look up at the sky. _The field I'm in is so empty, and there are no towns around._

I wasn't really paying attention when we were following Borin out here, so I don't know where I am, and how to get back home...

I continue my search for my friends. I look behind bushes, rocks, trees, and in trees and bushes. I spot a hill ahead, and jog towards it. I go to the top and see a cliff leading down to a long narrow river. I quickly turn and run back down the hill.

"Where is everybody?" I yell in frustration after a long time of seeking. "You guys got me, now let's start over! I don't wanna be seeker anymore!" I look around and see that nobody is responding.

I sit down on a nearby rock and put my head in my hands. "What am I going to do?" I stand up and run towards the place where I started. I keep going forward and soon I see a little town appear ahead of me.

I know it's definitely not my hometown, Wedgemore. It is way too small. Wedgemore is a big town, and is always bustling with activity. There are women who are always out on the streets doing errands, and men at work, and children playing with each other or their dogs.

I sigh and turn around. _Where are Ulric and Borin?_ I decide not to give up and I search for them some more.

After about half an hour, I give up and start crying. I just want to go home into my mother's comforting arms. I want her to give me some warm milk and read me a bedtime story before I fall asleep.

I want Master Althalos to teach me some more magic and spells. I want to continue my wizard training, but if I never find my way back home, that will never happen...

"Markl, I love you with all my heart, and I always will. I will always be there for you." She said sometimes after a bad day.

"I love you, Mom," I whisper to myself as my tears start easing up. I notice that it's getting darker outside, and that I'm lost. I had lost where I started, and now I'm never going to get back home.

_What did I do that was so bad that made this happen to me? I'm only 9!_ I think as the tears start coming to my eyes again. "I've gotta be a man. Don't cry again," I calm myself down and notice that it's getting dark outside. _How am I going to get home now...? It's getting really dark and I'm getting scared!_

I walk up to the hill and let my legs dangle off the edge of the cliff. _I think I'm in the Wastes... This not good!_ The idea pops into my head, and I get really angry.

The blood rushes to my face as I stand up and walk to a tree and kick it as hard as I can. "OW! That was really stupid of me!" I scold myself as I grab my foot and jump up and down. "I'm not going to give up!"

I walk around some more, looking for Wedgemore, my beloved home. Sadly, I have no luck, and I just come to the conclusion that I'm not going back home, unless Borin or Ulric find me in this vast area.

I hear something in the bushes and turn around. There is a branch that is moving, and it seems that there is something in the bush.

"Borin? Ulric?" I ask hopefully, but there is no answer. I walk over to the bush and grab the stick, attempting to pull it out. I keep pulling, and finally, it comes out.

I gasp and my jaw drops as the stick I pulled out stands on its own, revealing a scarecrow dressed in a black suit. He has the head of a turnip and a top hat. His smile is big and he shows his straight white teeth, with a brown pipe sticking out of them.

I cock my head as I examine it and wonder how it's standing by itself. "Maybe it's an alive scarecrow!" I think aloud and my face beams as the scarecrow hops in front me. "Oh my God, it is alive!"

The scarecrow hops away, leaving me awestruck. An idea pops into my head, and I chase after the scarecrow. "Wait! Mr. Scarecrow, I have a favor to ask of you," The scarecrow stops and turns around to face me. "Do you know where Wedgemore is? I'm lost, and I really want to get home to my family..." I look down at my brown shoes and play with my fingers.

I hear the scarecrow hop away and I look up to see the scarecrow disappearing into the distance. "Thanks a lot!" I yell after him, close to tears, and I stick my tongue out at him. "After all that hard work I did to get you out of that stupid bush!" I sniffle and take a deep breath, sitting down on a rock nearby.

It has been about 15 minutes, and I'm still sitting on the rock, thinking about nothing. I get really tired, and without noticing, I fall asleep...

**HOWL POV**

I fly through the group of Suliman's accomplices, killing most of them. Unluckily, one of them scratches my wing, and I howl in pain as the blood starts dripping out.

"Curse whoever started this stupid war," I mutter to myself, and I fly up into the air, opening a portal and closing it before the creatures can follow me.

I soar through the black area, the fire below me. I reach my destination and enter my "castle," you could call it.

"Howl, how did it go this time?" I hear Calcifer ask me from the hearth.

"It was better than last time. It's only my second time fighting in this war, and I'm not doing as bad as I thought I would do." I reply to the fire demon.

I sit down on the chair in front of the fire and transform back to my human form. My blond, silky hair falls all over my face as the last of my feathers fade away. I sigh and put my head back, closing my eyes.

"Calcifer, move the castle 30 miles to the South please." I ask Calcifer as I stand up and head upstairs to my room.

"Fine," I hear Calcifer mutter in his hearth as I close my door.

"Oh, and make hot water for my bath," I walk to the steps and ask him.

"Fine," He repeats and I walk into the bathroom.

I turn the knobs to the bath and the water comes pouring out. After the tub is filled, I undress myself and let myself sink into the soothing water. I take a deep breath and close my eyes, letting my head fall back.

I finish bathing and put a towel around my waste as I apply my hair products to keep it blond and smooth.

I put on my clothes and go downstairs. The castle has now stopped and I walk towards the door. "Are you going out...? Again?" Calcifer asks me as I reach the door.

I ignore him and turn the dial to green. I step outside into the Wastes and welcome the scent of nature into my nostrils. Calcifer has parked the castle on a hill next to a cliff.

I slip my hands into the pockets of my black pants and start walking down the hill. I scan the empty area and spot something lying on the ground by a rock. I narrow my eyes as I get closer to the figure. I can finally make out the small figure as a little boy sleeping.

He looks about 9 or 10 years old, and he has reddish brownish hair. He is wearing a green vest and a white long sleeved undershirt underneath. There is a red bow around the collar of his shirt. On his waist is a black belt, and his legs are covered with red leggings and green shorts on top of them. The little boy's brown shoes look worn out, and his eyes are a little puffy. I notice that there are dried tears on his cheeks, and I look at him sympathetically, wondering what this poor child's story is.

Without realizing what I am doing, I step closer and bend down to pick him up. I go back to my house and open the door.

I walk up the steps and set the boy on the chair in front of Cal. "Um, Howl, who is this kid and why is he here?"

"Shhh," I look at Calcifer with my sparkling blue eyes, and put a finger to my lips. "I found him outside sleeping near a rock. I had to bring him back. I'm just that kind." I explain quietly and give Calcifer my sweetest grin.

**Sooo, that was the first chapter and the second one will be coming up shortly! Please review! ;)**


	2. Chapter 2: Extremely Powerful Fire Demon

**Chapter 2 is herrrrrrrreee! I hope you like it, and please review! :)**

Chapter Two: The Extremely Powerful Fire Demon and the Extremely Powerful Wizard

I wake up and scan the place I'm in. In front of me, I see a small fire keeping the large room warm. There are tables and shelves all over the place, filled with books and paper. I furrow my eyebrows as I begin to realize that I'm not in the Wastes... Nor home.

"Hey, kid!" There is a voice that is probably referring to me, and I rapidly look around the room, trying to find the source of the voice. "Over here, in front of you." It comes again, and I move my eyes slowly towards the fire.

What I see, I did _not_ expect. The fire that was once small and did not have a face is now bigger and has grown eyes and a mouth. Also, he has grown arms and hands.

"H-How did you do th-that? I-I-I didn't know fires could come to life," I tell the flame as I stutter through the sentences.

"I'm not just any fire, I'm an extremely powerful fire demon named Calcifer!" After he says that, fire comes out of his mouth and he gives me a mischievous grin. "I just like to do that once in a while,"

"Okay then. So, your name is Calcifer?"

Calcifer nods.

"Where am I, may I ask?" I ask the fire demon politely.

He sighs. "You, Sir, are in Howl's Moving Castle!" He replies, and he throws his hands into the air as she says that.

"Wait, did you just say _Howl_?"

He nods again.

"You mean, _the_ Howl? As in, the powerful wizard dude?" I ask him, my voice rising with my excitement.

"Yes," He narrows his eyes. "Why are you getting all excited?"

I stand up, keeping my eyes on Calcifer. "Because I'm training to be a wizard! Well, was..."

"Why was?" Calcifer asks. "Wait, I need to know your name."

"My name? Erm, Markl." I reply.

"Okay, now explain what happened to you, kid."

"Well, I'm a wizard in training. I am trained by Master Althalos in a town called Wedgemore. I live with my mom and I am 9 years old."

"Okay, Markl, now what happened?"

"Well, my friends and I were playing hide-and-seek, and I was the seeker. I counted to ten, and when I opened my eyes, I went searching for them. I guess I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, so, I think I got lost. I looked for Wedgemore, but never found it, and I ended up in the Wastes... I have no idea how I got here. I fell asleep, and when I woke up, I was in this dump."

"I see," Calcifer says. "I know how you got here."

"Really? How?" I ask him.

"Just one word. Howl."

"What does he have to do with anything?"

"He went outside to walk around, and found you. He didn't want to just leave you there. Apparently, he felt bad and brought you back here." Calcifer explains.

I review in my head what Calcifer just said. "Howl found me? And brought me back here?" I ask in awe. I've heard many stories about Howl, and how he is an _amazing_ wizard. He is my role model, and that's what made me want to learn the art of wizardry.

"Yup. That is pretty much what I said, kid." He chuckles, and his face and arms disappear, leaving me by myself.

_Oh. My. God. I am in Howl's Moving Castle._ Just as I think that, the door opens up and a tall, pale, thin man with blond, shoulder length hair comes inside the dump that people call a castle.

The man is wearing a white, long sleeved collared shirt tucked into long black pants and black shoes. Over top of his shirt, he is wearing a pink coat with a big collar and black diamonds in a pattern, and the coat is outlined with yellow. He is wearing a golden necklace with a blue stone hanging on the end, and green dangling earrings that are in the shape of raindrops.

His bright blue eyes are drooping, and his hair is all over his face. He has a couple scratches here and there, and he walks slowly past me and up the stairs. I hear a door open and shut, and Calcifer reappears.

"Was that Howl?" I ask him curiously.

"Yeah, and he doesn't look so good," Calcifer replies, shaking his flame.

"What's going on? Why does he look like that?" I ask, concerned about the wizard, even though I've never met him. I don't want him to get hurt.

"Well, um, there is a war going on, and he is fighting in it. He goes out every morning, and _maybe_ comes back at night. Sometimes he comes the next day or night, or even the day after that." Calcifer explains as he shakes his disapprovingly. "The guy's gonna kill himself!"

I sigh. "He saved me. I don't want him to die!"

"Well, I don't control that... Actually, I kind of do..." Calcifer says, and cock my head, confused.

"What do mean?"

"Oh, never mind. Hey, get me some wood if you would," Calcifer laughs at his clever sentence.

"Ha-ha, sure." I go to the side of the fireplace and grab two pieces of wood and throw them to Calcifer.

"Thanks, kid!" He happily grabs one bites it.

I chuckle as I walk away from the now tiny flame and observe the room. "This is such a dump!" I wonder aloud as I walk up the steps, my curiosity getting to me. There is a long hallway with four doors. One of the doors is across from the top of the steps. I decide not to go inside this door because I hear water, and it's probably a bathtub, and Howl is probably in there bathing.

The second door is next to me, and look inside to find a simple bedroom.

The third door is down the hall from the bathroom. I deliberately open the door, and inside is a large bed against the wall at the back of the huge room. The room is greatly decorated with many different knick knacks on the wall and on the floor. Also, color fills my eyes, and I walk out of the room still seeing tons of colors.

After blinking a couple times, I continue down the hall and into the room at the end. It is the same as the second room, a simple bedroom, but with a different bed and has more area.

I move back down the hall towards the stairs, but notice out of the corner of my eye another large, green door. It turns out that the "large door" is actually two doors. I open it, and step out onto a small balcony. I run to the edge, amazed by the view in front of my eyes. There is a vast field that the Castle is moving through, but it's not just an empty field; it is filled with colorful flowers and trees and a beautiful lake. There are also some train tracks and a train passing through the grassland.

"Wow," I say to myself, almost a whisper.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" The man walks out and stands next to me, looking out at the scene. "This is one of my favorite places to pass through. Probably once every 2 months we pass through it. That lake over there is called Star Lake."

I gaze up at him, and he looks back at me. "A-Are you Howl?" I ask.

"Yes, yes I am." He smiles kindly and furrows his eyebrows. "And you are...?"

"My name is Markl, and I'm a wizard in training!" I say proudly putting my hands on my hips and raising my head up high.

He chuckles and imitates me, making me giggle. "Well, if we end up not finding and taking you home, Calcifer and I would be happy to have you stay here with us. It gets lonely sometimes, and plus, I can continue to train you, Markl." He winks and ruffles my already messed up hair.

"Thanks for the offer but, I kind of want to go home and be with my mom, and be trained by Master Althalos." I give him my cute smile, and rock on my heels.

"Whatever you please," Howl says and strolls through the doors to go downstairs.

I sigh and follow him, thinking about whether I'd like it here or not. _I guess it would be pretty awesome, and to be trained by Master Howl? That would be the best thing that would ever happen to me..._

**WOOHOO! CLIFFHANGER! Hehe, remember, leave your comments in your reviews ;)**


	3. Chapter 3: Howl's Heart Problems

**Here is the 3rd chapter! I really enjoyed writing it, so I hope you really enjoy reading it :)**

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Chapter Three: Howl's Heart Problems

"And here is your room," Howl leads me to the door at the end of the hall.

"Thanks, Howl. I appreciate you letting me stay here until I get home." Howl chuckles and pats my head as he closes the door, leaving me to be alone.

I observe the room, looking in shelves, drawers, cabinets. Everything is empty and dusty. I stand there for at least an hour, pondering my situation.

There is a knock on my door, and I go to answer it. Howl.

"Hey there, Markl," Howl says good-naturedly, leaning on the door frame, hands in his pockets. "We are having dinner soon. Want to come help set the table and stuff?"

"Sure. I'll be right down." I tell him and give him my cute smile.

"Okay, see you in a bit." Howl walks down and the hall and down the steps.

I sit on the bed and rub my temples, trying to get everything that's happened straight in my head.

* * *

HOWL POV

I hear little feet come down the stairs, and then come towards me.

"So, how can I help, Master Howl?" He asks me, and I chuckle when he calls me "Master" Howl.

"Just get Calcifer some wood, please." I order kindly. "Oh, and you can just call me Howl." I add.

He nods and runs over to the burning out flame. Once Markl gives him the wood, Calcifer rises up and has a look of relief on his face.

"Okay, I gave Calcifer wood." Markl trots up to me. "Now what?"

"Now, we eat." I grin at him and pull out a chair for him to sit.

"Thank you."

"Enjoy, friend." I lift my cup and take my seat, grabbing my fork as I do. I put my cup down and grab my knife to cut my piece of steak. "So, Markl, do you like steak?" I ask.

"Yeah. It's one of my favorites. My mom always makes it back home." He explains while in the middle of a bite.

"Oh, ha-ha, I see. I love to eat steak, too. I make it at least three nights a week."

"Oh, my God! Three times a week?" Markl exclaims, eyes wide.

"Indeed. That's how much I love it." I wink and his eyes go back to normal.

"Wow, that's so cool. My mom only makes it like, one time a week. Sometimes two if we have enough money..."

I furrow my brow. "Enough money?"

Markl finishes chewing first, and then answers my question. "Yeah, my mom doesn't get paid much money for her job." He says casually, acting like it's not a big deal. But I know that on the inside, he knows that it's a huge deal.

"Oh," I say, dropping the subject. I don't want the poor kid to talk about it. "So, how old are you?"

"Nine years old."

"Wow, that's cool. So, how was your day?" I ask.

"It was good. I met Calcifer, and we talked a little."

"Oh, that's cool." I tell him.

"Um, Howl?" Markl says my name.

"Yes, Markl?" I say.

"Um, Calcifer was saying something about him controlling if you die or something like that. What did he mean?" Markl looks me in my blue eyes, and I look back into his black ones.

"Oh," I chuckle uneasily, thinking about what I should tell him and my eyes move over to Calcifer. _I guess I should just tell him the truth..._ "Well, Markl, when I was little, about your age, I was outside in my special garden that I would always spend my time in. It was raining shooting stars, if that makes sense, and I caught one.

"I was a foolish little boy, and I was acting so stupid that I swallowed it! I'm still laughing at myself for my mistake," I scold myself, and continue the story. "What happened was, that that shooting star ate my heart, and when I spit the shooting star back out, it had my heart. And, well, that shooting star was Calcifer.

"So, ever since then, Calcifer and I have been together, and if he dies or gets splashed on by water, I die." I end my story, and finish my steak. There is still some little burnt pieces and some fat and cartilage, so I walk over to Calcifer and give him those pieces. I put the plate next to Calcifer and head back to where Markl is sitting.

His face is frozen. When I told him the story, apparently, he was about to take a bite, so the fork is still right in front of his mouth... With the piece of steak on still it.

"Hey, buddy, you okay?" I ask him and pat his back.

Markl just nods and puts the fork in his mouth.

"Okay then," I chuckle. He sets his fork down and puts his hands in his lap. "You finished?"

He nods slowly, and take his plate, giving the remains to Cal. "Move the Castle 55 miles to the East towards Wedgemore, please." I order Calcifer. "All right, well I'm going upstairs, okay?" I tell Markl. "You can go up whenever you're ready, and if you need anything, feel free to ask Calcifer or myself."

I walk up the steps and stop in the middle, leaning on the railing. "Oh, and Calcifer, make hot water for my bath." I smile and continue up the steps.

"Wow, Howl, really?" I hear Calcifer complain as I close the door to the my bathroom.

I turn the faucets to my bath, and strip off my clothing. I slip into the tub and just lay there, relaxing.

I think about how I'm going to either stop, or win this war. Those idiotic people, killing so many innocent lives. Just thinking about it makes me want to cry. I close my eyes to hold back the tears. _I don't want to see another city, or town, or village get destroyed. Not even another flower..._

I sigh and open my eyes. I finish bathing and slip on some clean pajamas. I always feel so much better after I take a bath and I'm all clean.

I finish putting in my hair potions and make sure my hair is perfect before setting a foot outside of the bathroom.

I happily walk out of the bathroom and go into Markl's room to check on him. The lights are off and he is sound asleep. I would say he is sleeping like a baby, but babies always wake up every hour and cry.

I chuckle as I close his door and go into my room. I slip under the covers and scan my color filled room. I really need to get my room neatened up... It's a mess in here...

I lightly shut my eyes and drift off to sleep...

* * *

I wake up by a large crash, and my eyes burst open as I sit up in bed. I rush out of my room and down the steps to find my spell books and papers all sprawled out on the floor. Markl is standing there, just staring at the messed up items.

I smile as I walk over and put a hand on his shoulder. He gazes up at me, eyes full of worry. He opens his mouth, but I interrupt him.

"It's all good, little guy." I comfort him.

Still smiling, I bend down to start to pick up everything, but I feel a light touch on my shoulder, and I look up to see Markl. "It's my mess. I clean it up." I sigh and stand up, gesturing to the books and papers on the floor. I then put my hands in my pockets and walk towards Calcifer while the little boy cleans up his mess.

"So, Howl, looks like your hair is a mess this morning." He winks as he reminds me that I forgot to take care of my hair.

"Oh. My. God." I mutter as I bring my hands up to my hair. "Calcifer, I totally forgot! Thank you for reminding me!"

I literally sprint up the stairs and into the bathroom, almost slipping and falling into the tub. I rush to the mirror and fix my hair. I sigh in relief when I see my long bangs fall over my eyes.

Then, I calmly walk out of the bathroom and down the steps. "Whew, much better." I here Calcifer say, and turn to stick my tongue out him in a joking manner.

Markl is just finishing picking up my spells, and I walk over to him. "Good job," He turns to look up at me, and give him a friendly looks. "Now, who wants breakfast?" I ask, clapping my hands together.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not that hungry." Markl says.

"Okay, then we can eat later." I wink and walk towards the door. "Calcifer, I'm going out. Keep an eye on Markl, will you? I won't be long."

I turn the dial to blue and walk out onto the streets of Porthaven. I put my hands in my pockets and just stroll around and look at different antique shops and food stands.

After a little of fresh air, I decide to go back home. I don't want to keep Markl waiting. I know he really wants to get home...

I open the door and walk in, moving towards the fire where Markl is sitting with Calcifer.

"All right, Markl. Do you want to go home?" I ask him.

He nods and stands up.

"Okay. Calcifer, did you finish moving the Castle?" I ask Cal.

"Of course I did, Howl! I'm a miracle worker!"

"Yes, yes you are, Calcifer." I chuckle and escort Markl out the door and into the lands of the Waste.

"Markl, will I see you again?"

"Possibly," Markl grins and looks up at me. "If my mom will ever let me come back out here again. She is probably worried sick..."

I nod and walk towards the busy town of Wedgemore.

"Well, here w-" I stopped in the middle of my sentence when I see Markl stop dead in his tracks. His face goes blank, and he is just frozen.

I look to where Markl's eyes are staring at, and what I saw tore my heart...

**

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That... Is... The... Biggest... Cliffhanger... Ever... **

**Hehe I was really excited to write that last line... I was gonna write what he saw and everything, but then the chapter would be too long. Soooo, you're just going to have to wait :P PLEASE REVIEW!**

**P.S. About that last line, Howl doesn't have a heart and everything, but you know what I mean ;)**


	4. Chapter 4: More and More Tears

**Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but I've been uber busy! Haha, this is a long chapter, and I couldn't figure out a name for it, so if you have an idea, just tell me in your reviews! If I like it, I will use it! ;)**

**Nevermind! As you can see, I have finally figured out a title! :)**

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Chapter Four: More and More Tears

I move my gaze down to where Markl is now on the ground crying. I sink down to his level, setting my hand on his back, comforting him.

"You don't get it! You can't make me feel better, okay?" Markl yells in my face and runs off to the middle of nowhere.

I sigh and tightly close my eyes, letting the anger flow through me. _I've had enough._

I transform into my bird form and start running. Once I gain enough speed, I jump and flap my large blue wings. The wind blows my hair out of my face, and I head towards the now burning Wedgemore.

I look above the town and see one big battle ship, still dropping bombs, even though the area is already ruined. "I can't believe those murderers, killing so many people." I mutter to myself.

Once I get closer, I hear many screams and cries of poor, innocent people. I feel a tear run down my cheek as I put myself in Markl's place.

_I really hope his mother's okay. Even though I would like it for him to stay with me, I want him to be happy..._

I fly towards the battle ship and land on the balcony. Suliman's big glob henchmen come running out at the sight of me, and I hold out my hand, controlling them to attack each other.

I smile mischievously and enter the horrible ship. I finally find my way to the control room. There are many different buttons and switches, and I quickly try to stop the bombs from falling before the rest of the monsters find me.

I do the best I can to stop it by pressing different buttons and pulling different levers, but everything I do seems to make it worse.

I scream in frustration, and go outside. I land on top of a now burning building (my fault) and hold my hand up in the air. I aim at the ship, and swipe my hand about a foot across it. Leaving my body outside, I zoom past many rooms filled with accomplices and machines. I finally find the place I need to be and destroy it, make all the wings but one on each side stop. I also stop the bombs from falling, and let out a sigh of relief.

N_ow I need to help everyone... But how?_ An idea pops into my head, and I hop down to the ground. I turn towards the building and hold out my hand... Again. Water comes shooting out of it as the fire starts to cool down and lessen.

I do that to rest of the buildings and houses and go to help people out of some that have not collapsed all the way.

I get to a small cottage that has been completely burned and ruined, and I make my way through the scattered pieces of wood. I find a body laying on top of a large piece of wood, and it is a gorgeous, thin women. She has long, beautiful brown hair, and is wearing an orangish pinkish working dress.

Many scratches and blood covers her face, arms, and legs. I put my feather covered ear to her chest, checking to see if her heart is still thumping.

I slowly take my head away from the quiet chest, and I let some tears run down my cheek once I notice the many pictures of Markl on the ground...

* * *

MARKL POV

I'm crying like I've never cried before, and I don't know where I'm going. I'm just running as fast I can. All I want to do is get away from Howl, get away from the burning Wedgemore, get away from everything, especially my life.

My thoughts are interrupted when I bump into something. I look up, tears covering my face. I see the scarecrow looking down at me, with his big toothy smile.

"What are you smiling at?" I say harshly. But I don't take it back, I mean, there is no point to be smiling at this time.

The scarecrow just stands there, still smiling. I growl in anger, running away from the cheerful suit on a stick.

"I hate my life," I keep muttering to myself. That's the only thing that would come out of my mouth. _What if something bad happened? Of course something bad happened! My hometown burned to ashes! I never want to go back there again._

I find a patch of grass and many flowers to sit and relax, and get everything out of my head. I lay down and close my eyes. The tears have stopped flowing, and I just keep telling myself that my mom's going to be okay...

"Oh, poor baby." I hear a haughty voice and gaze up to find a big woman looking down at me. She is wearing a long black silky dress, with a black furry poncho overtop. She is wearing a lot of make-up and a large furry hat covering the top of her head.

"Wh-Who are you?" I ask her, standing up.

"Well, asking who I am, are you? How do you not know...?" She laughs cruelly and glares at me, which creeps me out.

"Um, I just don't...? I'm 9, so I don't know this stuff..." I reply, nervously playing with my hands.

"Oh, don't be scared, Honey. Or nervous. There is nothing to be afraid of..." She tells me, and walks away to a mini carriage being carried by two weird black creatures dressed in red. They are both on each side of the carriage, and they each grab the two poles and run off.

I scratch my neck, thinking about who that could be. _Oh well, it doesn't matter anyway. I'm probably never going to see her again in my life..._

I sigh as I sit back down and put my head in my hands. _There is so much going on, and I can't just get everything straight._

I lay down on my back and shut my eyes. The images I see force me to open my eyes quickly. I see Wedgemore burning, and my mother, crouched down, with tears in her eyes as the house catches on fire.

The tears come again, and I don't even try to stop them from coming out. I let them flow, and it seems like forever until I fall asleep...

* * *

HOWL POV

I fly away and look back at Wedgemore. The fire has eased and there is nothing else I can do to help. I shut my eyes tightly, holding back tears for the millionth time in the past few hours.

I soar through the blue sky, searching for Markl in the Wastes. _Who knows where he could've gone?_ I tell myself.

I start calling his name... No reply. I land and painfully turn back into my human form. "Markl! Markl, where are you? Come on, I'll help you!" I try again, but again, no reply.

I sit on a rock and rub my temples. I have the biggest headache ever, and I'm trying to look for a 9 year old little boy who just lost his mother and his life.

I stand up and walk towards and apple tree. I pick an apple from the tree and wipe it on my shirt, then taking a bite from it. "Mmmmmm," I say in delight, closing my eyes. "This is delicious!" I pick another apple, hoping to be able to give it to the little boy... If I ever find him, and I'm determined to.

I see a little patch of grass filled with flowers, and a small figure laying down. I smile to myself and walk over, knowing that it's going to be Markl.

I kneel down and slightly shake him. "Markl, Markl wake up." I whisper. I say it again, but louder. Still, he doesn't wake up. I chuckle and pick him up, walking to where I last saw the Moving Castle.

After a while of walking, the castle comes into view and sigh happily, glad to finally be home.

I feel Markl shift in my arms and I glance down to see him opening his eyes. I just stares at me, and I smile.

"Put me down," He says calmly, and I furrow my brows, confused. "I said, put me down, Howl."

I listen and set him down. I know what's coming next so I grab the collar of his shirt to stop him from running.

"Markl, please, I want to help."

"What happened?" He asks, his voice quiet.

I sigh and put a hand on his shoulder. "Wedgemore was attacked in the war. Many buildings and houses burned, and many people died..."

"How's my mother?" He asks, still in a quiet voice.

"She..." I close my eyes for a second and then look him straight in the eye. "The house collapsed on her, and she died..." I hold back tears. "I'm so sorry."

Markl bursts into tears, digging his face into my dirty shirt and grabbing the sides. I hug him and rub his back, trying to console him.

We stand there, holding each other in silence. I see something move in the corner of my eye, and look over to see my house moving towards us. "Markl, we better get inside. It's getting dark." I escort Markl to the Castle and take him to the chair by the hearth.

"Hey, Howl, what's going on? Why is he still here?" Calcifer asks me, oblivious to the tears in Markl's eyes.

I explain about the war, and how Wedgemore was burned and that his mother died.

"Oh, poor kid!" Calcifer says, and I'm surprised by his reaction.

"I'm gonna take him upstairs and get him settled in. Because, I assume that he is going to be staying here. Unless he would like to go to an orphanage or something." I tell Calcifer and carry Markl up the stairs.

"C-Can I stay here, Howl?" Markl gazes up and asks me, his eyes still watery and his voice still a little shaky.

"Of course you can, Markl." I give him a sweet smile and set him on the bed in his room. "I'll bring you up some food, okay?"

Markl nods and turns on his side, back facing me, and covers himself with the blanket.

I go down the steps and grab some bread and cheese, also remembering the apple in my pocket. _I need to go get some food from the market_. I say to myself as I go towards the staircase.

"You really think you can do it, Howl?" I look over at the fire demon.

"I-I'm not sure, Calcifer." I reply and continue up the steps.

**

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That's the end! I hope you liked it, and it was hard for me to write... :(**

**Remember, if you think of a title for this chapter, please tell me in my review and I might end up using it! ;) REVIEW!**

**Again, I don't need any suggestions, but thanks anyway!**


	5. Chapter 5: The Decision

**Hey guys! Sorry I took so long to update, I've been really busy and stuff, and school has started and all, so don't be mad! :)**

Chapter Five: The Decision

MARKL POV

The Witch of the Waste.

That's what Howl told me. She was the Witch of the Waste, the cruel women who talked to me yesterday. We are eating dinner after I had a little nap. When Howl came in to give me my food, he found me asleep and didn't want to wake me up. I sigh and take another bite of bread and shove a piece of cheese into my mouth.

"Markl, again, I'm so sorry about your mother and hometown." Calcifer says, sympathy obvious in his voice. I hear Howl mutter something about Calcifer acting weird, but I just ignore him.

"It's okay, Calcifer, stop apologizing!" I order and chuckle, even though I am still devastated. The thing is, I have to get over it because what happens, happens...

Smiling and shaking his head, Howl looks up at me with his round, sparkling blue eyes. "So, have you decided yet?"

"Um, decided what?" I ask curiously.

"If you're going to stay here or go to an orphanage or something," Howl says rather slowly, then quickly looks back down at his plate, which he has barely eaten from. I notice that Howl is a guy that doesn't eat much.

"Oh, um, I'm still thinking." I say awkwardly and scratch the back of my neck. "I'm full," I say as I push my plate away. "I'll finish it for breakfast tomorrow."

"Okay, that's fine." Howl says, grabbing his plate and dumping the rest into Calcifer's mouth. "Calcifer, please move the castle 76 miles to the West. Oh, and make hot water for my bath." Howl adds before setting his plate down by the hearth and walking towards the steps.

"Um, Howl, if I, you know, stay here..." I pause for a second, and he just stares at me. "Will you continue to train me? You know, in becoming a wizard? Because, you're like, the best wizard in the world?"

"Of course I will, Markl." Howl answers my question and laughs quietly before walking up the stairs and into his bathroom.

"Calcifer, do you think I should stay?" After the words come out of my mouth, I notice how stupid I am. _Calcifer will probably say yes! I mean, I think. He likes me, doesn't he...?_

"I don't know kid. Howl's pretty much always out of the house, either fighting in the war or something. So it might be kind of boring..." Calcifer warns. "But, it's your decision, kid." With that, Calcifer sinks back into the hearth and falls asleep.

I sigh and take a seat. _What will I do? Calcifer has a point... Maybe Howl could find me some wizard orphanage or something... That's what I'm going to do! I'll be able to meet new people, make friends, and maybe even be adopted by someone rich!_ I smile at the thought and run upstairs to my room, shutting the door behind me.

It turns out that my door is very sensitive, and it closed behind me with a loud slam!

I wince and jump on my bed, a smile still plastered on my face. As I lay on the bed, about to doze off, my door bursts open. I abruptly sit up on my bed, scrunching my forehead.

"Um, Howl? Everything okay?" I ask, gazing at the wizard in the towel.

Howl straightens up, and clears his throat. "Uh," He chuckled nervously. "Uh, yeah, yeah, nothing wrong... I just heard the door slam and thought something was wrong, you know, either mad or sad or Calcifer did something."

Howl scratched the back of his neck anxiously and held up his hand in apology. "My bad! Sorry if I was interrupting in on anything or... Yeah."

I giggle and look down at my feet hanging over the side of the bed. "It's okay, Howl, just be careful closing that door... It shuts very loudly."

Howl nods and softly clicks the door back into place. Once I hear his foot steps move down the hall and the bathroom door close, I plop back down on the bed in a laying position. I slap my forehead with my hand and mutter to myself: "Why didn't I tell him just now? It was a perfect time... Kind of... He was in a towel."

As I lay down in bed, wrapped up in a warm soft towel, I keep thinking over my "decision." I'm not sure if I really want to go to an orphanage, but I'm close to deciding yes.

I start drifting off to sleep, still kind of thinking, until I fall asleep for real...

* * *

_I'm in a white area, and everything around me is white. I'm sitting down on a hard, white surface and I gaze up to find a white ceiling._

_As I stand up I start to shake, and the ground starts to rumble as well. I rapidly move my eyes around my blank surroundings, confused and vexed. The white place suddenly starts to change, and I'm transported to Howl's castle. I furrow my eyebrows and glance around the room full of junk. Calcifer is sleeping in his hearth, and I don't hear anything but the creaking of the castle moving through the Wastes._

_I sink down into the chair and sigh. Then, I hear slow moving footsteps make there way down the staircase, and I look over to see Howl in red, silky robe._

_"Howl, um, hi... What's going on? I was just surrounded by nothing but white, and now I'm here. What happened. I'm so confused..." The tears start welling up in my eyes. I just want to go home to my mom, away from all this weirdness._

_"Calm down, Markl." Howl replies, in a somewhat deep and creepy way. "Follow me."_

_I do as he says, and then notice that I am not wearing my typical, green outfit. I am now wearing a tuxedo, with a black bow tie underneath the collar. I'm still a little puzzled, but I shrug it off and follow Howl to stand next to him by the door._

_"Once I open this door, you will walk out, and never, come back..." Howl says, not even showing any signal of looking up at me. His voice stays low, and what he said took me off guard._

_"But How-" I begin but get interrupted by him pushing me out the door. The color on the dial is purple, which is weird because purple isn't one of the colors on the dial..._

_"No buts, Markl. Have a great life..." Howl spits out the words that made out the last sentence, and my eyes start to water._

_"Howl, please, I just need an explanation!" I yell, begging._

_"You will understand soon. Now leave." He shuts the door in my face, and I can hear the dial click into a different position, and I look down, not knowing what to do._

_The tears finally start running down my cheeks as I sink down to the ground, rolling up in a tight ball. I sit there for about 20 minutes, sobbing and hopeless._

_"Oh, poor baby." That hoarse, haughty voice of the Witch of the Waste tells me. I hesitantly gaze up, wiping the tears off my face. "Why, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be inside? With that dear boy, Howl is it?"_

_"Um, he... He left me out here. I have no idea what's going on and he wouldn't explain. He just told me never to come back, and then shoved me out the door." I explain to the witch, choking back more tears._

_"Oh, well, possibly, I may be able to help?" The witch suggests, chewing on her index finger nail and holding her other hand out._

_I sniffle and shrug. "Um, I guess. How would you be able to help me?"_

_"Just follow me..." She replies in a mysterious voice, holding out her hand to help me up. Once I am up and fix my bow tie and wipe off the tears, I follow the Witch of the Waste into a small, bustling city full of people and houses..._

* * *

HOWL POV

I try to keep my calm composure after Markl tells me about his decision to go to a wizard orphanage and about his dream with the Witch of the Waste. My head is hurting and I'm really tired because I didn't get much sleep last night. I smile politely and nod. "Um," I chuckle nervously. "That's, uh, fine with me."

"Okay great! When will we leave? After lunch later today?" Markl asks after swallowing another bite of bread and cheese from dinner yesterday.

"Sure, Markl."

"Yes! Thank you so much, Howl! I knew I could rely on you!" With that, Markl is up the stairs and into his room.

I walk over to Calcifer and sit down on the chair, putting my feet up on the hearth. I sigh and close my eyes. "Cal, looks like it's going to be just you and me again."

"Well, it was fun while it lasted..."

**Well, there you go! That's the 5th chapter, and I will work on the next one as soon as I can! Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6: The Beginning Of A New Life

**Hey everyone! Okay, I know I know. I haven't updated in a while, but I have an excuse! I've been sooooooooooooooooooooo uber busy, you can't even _imagine!_ Haha anyway, I think this chapter is pretty good, and I hope you guys all like it! And you know what will make me update faster...? REVIEWS! I will accept any type of reviews, so if you have any tips, feel free to let me know! :)**

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Chapter Six: The Beginning of a New Life

MARKL POV

After eating lunch, I went up and made my bed then met Howl back downstairs. "I'm ready! I made my bed and everything!" I smile proudly, trying to impress him. I can see Calcifer roll his fiery eyes, but I ignore him.

"Great. So, you're ready leave, huh?" Howl asks, and I can tell that he doesn't want me to go. But it's my decision, and my decision is going to a wizard orphanage.

"Yup."I reply. I look at Calcifer and smile kindly. "Thank you Calcifer, you've been a great help."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." He says teasingly and sinks back into his hearth.

"All right, Markl, let's go." Howl walks over to the door and switches the dial to the Porthaven door. I walk out and breathe in the fresh air. _I really hope we find a good orphanage. I'm so excited!_

A huge smile appears on my face as I follow Howl into the town and down the streets. There are so many people walking, looking so happy, but others not so happy. I always wonder, what's going on people's minds? I glance up at Howl to see him walking calmly by my side. There is a certain spell for reading other peoples minds, and I wish I knew that spell right now...

HOWL POV

Once I heard Markl's little footsteps come down the steps, I knew he was ready to leave. I led him out the door and down the streets of Porthaven, searching for a good wizard orphanage. He is training to be a wizard, so I shall find him the best wizard orphanage there is. Although, staying with me would have been a much better choice...

"Howl, what are thinking about right now?" Markl asks, and chuckle at his random question.

I slip my hands in my pockets and take a deep breath. "To be honest, I'm thinking about how much I'm going to miss you, kid." I confess and my eyes meet his gaze. He smiles and copies my movements, sliding his hands in his pockets as well. I chuckle once again, and avert my gaze to the people walking around us.

"Oh, well I'm thinking about how excited I am," Markl tells me, and I frown. _That's all he was thinking about? How excited he is to be leaving me? To be leaving_ THE MASTER HOWL? My anger boils up inside of me, but I keep my calm composure. I mean, he is a 10 year old boy. "Howl, that's now the only thing I'm thinking about right now though," Markl begins to speak again. "Did I make the right choice? I'm not sure and, Howl, to tell the truth, I'm scared."

I look at the poor boy as he holds back tears. I know he is going through a tough time right now. "Markl, I can't tell you if you made the right choice or not. It's your decision, not mine." The wise words make their way out of my mouth.

"I really don't know, and I'm really scared. What..." He trails off, and he sighs as he gets ready to continue what he was about to say. "What if it's hard in the orphanage? What if I'm younger or older than everybody else? What if I'm not as skilled, or if I know more than everyone else living there! There are many other things that I'm afraid of, but I could go on forever..."

Markl begins to tremble, and I stop in tracks. Leaning down to his level, I embrace the little boy into a hug as he cries into my shoulder. I shush him and rub his back soothingly. "Markl, oh Markl. Everything is going to be all right. I won't let any of that stuff happen to you, okay? I will find you the best orphanage there is!" I pull away to look at him. His eyes are filled with tears, and he is wiping them away as I speak. "Do you trust me?"

Markl pauses for a minute, thinking my question through. "Actually, I do. Master Howl, I do trust you. Thank you." He hugs me, and I smile. _I'm really going to miss this boy..._

We continue to make our way down the busy streets, finding some orphanages, but not good ones for Markl.

After about another 45 minutes, we both of us are exhausted and our feet are hurting really bad. Taking a seat on a bench nearby, we sigh with relief. "Howl, my feet hurt really bad." Markl complains, and I nod my head in agreement.

"Me too, kid, me too." I shut my eyes for a second, resting my against the brick wall behind us. I glance to see what was behind me exactly, and I see that it is a wizard orphanage. _Oh my god. It's perfect!_ "Hey, Markl, look behind you." I suggest.

"Why? What'll that do to help?" He asks, and I just encourage him to do as I say. He sighs, and once his eyes land on the sign, his face lights up. "Oh my god! It's perfect!" I chuckle, because that's exactly what I was thinking in my head.

"Wanna go in and check it out?" I ask. He nods with excitement, quickly standing up and running inside the building. Chuckling again, I follow the boy.

"Master Howl, this is amazing!" When I got inside, the building was huge. Around us were pillars, and a brownish-reddish carpet leading to the front desk at the end of the room. I gaze around in awe as Markl runs down the carpet to the desk. Once I reach the front desk, a woman poofs out of know where. "Whoa! How'd you do that?" Markl asks in amazement.

"It's a spell." I inform, beating the woman now sitting on a chair behind the counter.

"Indeed it is," She says holding out a hand for me to shake. "If you are planning on staying here, then I will teach it to you. It is a very simple spell to learn, and I bet that you are a great little wizard."

"I'm not so sure about that, but thanks!" Markl replies happily, than glancing up at me.

"Oh, yes, um, I would like to register Markl into this orphanage please." I say in the most formal way possible, and the lady nods. "My name is Bliss. And you two are...?"

"I'm Howl, and this little fella is Markl." I tell her, and she nods.

"Nice to meet you Howl and Markl. I will get you signed in right away. Now, are you his uncle, or brother or...?" She begins and gazes at me.

"Oh no, I found him in the Wastes, and when I took him back home, the war had beat us to it..." I trail off, noticing that she gets the idea and she doesn't need to hear anymore. Bliss looked like she was in her 70's, with short gray hair and a flowery dress on.

"Oh, I see." She says that a little creepily, bringing out a pen and some papers for me to sign. "Just sign here, here, here, and... Here." Bliss flips through all the pages, pointing at where I need to sign, then leans back in her chair, waiting. A smile appears on her face as I make the last "_l_", and it really starts to freak me out.

"There," I say hesitantly and hand her the papers. Then, I look at Markl with a look that says _are you sure about this?_ He just nods.

"Okay, I will take him now. No worries, he will be in great care..." Bliss tells me. Every time she talks or I look at her, it just gets creepier and creepier.

"Markl, be careful, okay?" I whisper so that Bliss can't here me. "And... And I'm really going to miss you." I give him a hug, and he digs his chin into my shoulder as he hugs me back.

"Thank you so much, Howl. This means a lot to me. And I'm glad that I met you," Saying that, Markl pulls away and waves to me as Bliss takes his hand and leads him to the back of the gigantic, beautiful building.

**

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Soooo... Did you like it? I would really appreciate it if you reviewed... If you don't I will cry... Haha like I said before, reviews will make me update faster and I will accept criticism! :)**


	7. Chapter 7: A New Discovery

**Hey everyone that's reading this! I know I know, I haven't updated in a while, but I've been really busy and all... After watching Howl's Moving Castle for the 50th time last weekend, I had an urge to write and get this uploaded :) Sadly, I got in trouble and got my laptop taken away... Sadness! So I might not update for a while. Again. I'm sorry, but I hope this chapter is good enough as an apology! :)**

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Chapter Seven: A New Discovery

MARKL POV

Staring down in awe at the large book on the table, I raise my hand to ask a question. The teacher calls on me, and I stutter. "Um, so, we just have to memorize and learn half of the spells in this book?" We have just been past out a big, brown, dusty old book. They weigh around half of my weight, and we have to read to the middle of the book by tomorrow... and memorize all the spells that we come across.

"That is correct, deary." Ms. Goldenburry replies to my question. Although she looks kind, she doesn't act like it. She wears fancy high heels everyday, usually a bright, neon color. To go along with her shoes, she wears a non-matching dress or blouse and skirt. Her hair is black and shoulder length with original bangs placed horizontally across her forehead down to her eyebrows. Ms. Goldenburry is very strict and mean. She gives us tons of homework every night, plus all the other homework we have from other teachers. I thought that this place would be amazing, but boy was I wrong.

* * *

I start to work on my homework when there is a knock on my door. My roommate gestures that he is busy and I go to answer it. Fendrel is the name of my roommate. All the other kids and Fendrel are very nice and fun to be around. Everyone hates this place, other than Hadrian and his best friend, of course. All of the teachers love Hadrian because his father owns part of the orphanage, and he is such snob and a teachers pet. Hadrian is just a plain old jerk, and nobody likes him.

I reach the door and twist the knob, revealing the devil. "Hello Hadrian. What would you like?" I ask politely, using my manners and acting like I don't hate him. Although, it is obvious that I do.

"Oh, it's you..." Hadrian says in disgust, and I turn around to face Fendrel, who gives me a sympathetic look and returns to his homework. I roll my eyes and glare at Hadrian.

"Um, yeah, it is me. This is my room, isn't it? Unless I got confused and have the wrong key and roommate and stuff." I say sarcastically.

"I don't know! I just picked a door on and knocked on it. Now, I want your notes for the test tomorrow and my homework done and sent to me by 12:00 tonight. Got it?" With that, he starts to walk away.

"Wait! Hadrian, why don't you just do it yourself?" I demand, and he scoffs and heads back towards me.

"Oh Markl, you just don't understand, do you? As you can see, I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed. So I get other people to do my work for me. Or, at least give me the answers... Well, ta-ta for now!" Hadrian flicks his wrist at me and swiftly moves down the hall to the elevator.

"Oh my God! Can you believe him? I mean really, he should just do it himself. I'm definitely not doing it for him." Complaining, I sit on my bed and flip through the pages of that gigantic book we have to read from.

Fendrel nods in agreement. "Yes, you are correct. I don't think you should do it... But wait," Fendrel says, and I focus my attention on what he is going to say next. "His family practically owns the place. If you don't do it, he could get his parents to get you in trouble... or worse, they might expel you!"

I gulp as the thought runs through my mind. If I get kicked out of this school, I'll have nowhere to live! As I fret over the idea, I come across a spell that might help me through this problem. A smile appears on my face as I grab my wand, a quill, and a piece of paper on my desk and rush into the closet.

"Um, Markl, may I ask what you are doing in the closet?" I hear Fendrel's voice outside calling.

"Nothing! I'll be out in a few minutes! Don't worry about me." I reassure him.

"Well all right."

When I make sure that he is far from ear shot, I begin writing a letter on the piece of paper, letting Howl know what's going on. After I'm done, I take out my wand and cast the spell. "Send yourself to Howl's Moving Castle. Just do it and don't make a hassle."

The letter floats up the air vent in the ceiling, folds up, then puts itself into an envelope that had just appeared out of nowhere. Instead of going through the vent, it vanishes, leaving dust around the room and Fendrel letting out a small cry and cough. "MARKL!" He yells, and I hurry out to see what the aftermath of the spell is.

When I arrive to the main room where the TV is and where Fendrel is working on homework, I see a strange, green transparent gas drifting in the atmosphere in the room. Fendrel is sitting at the desk with his eyes shut tightly while his hand is sweeping back and forth, left to right in front of his face trying to lure away the gas. "Markl! I- Can't- Breath!" Fendrel stutters, and that's when I notice that my best friend's face is blue.

"Oh my god! I am so sorry!" I apologize and go to the front door. Next to the door is a lever to use in case of an emergency, so I act quickly and take hold of the lever, pulling in down.

"MARKL! _Now _what did you do?" Fendrel exclaims as water rushes down on top of him and all over the rest of the room.

"I pulled the emergency lever! I'm so sorry! But I think this will make the gas go away," I return to the living room with two towels and snacks. "Here you go. This is to make up for my mistake." I bow jokingly and take a seat on the bed. Suddenly, Fendrel bursts out laughing, and I get a perplexed expression on my face. "Wait, what...?" I trail off as Fendrel falls of the chair with a thump, and he doesn't even care. "Fendrel. Fendrel. FENDREL CALM DOWN!" I say loudly as he just ignores me and keeps laughing. I sigh and take a bite of my roasted unicorn liver. "Ew!" I slightly hop in my seat at the taste of this disgusting wizard food. "They call this delicious?"

"Okay, I'm okay. Sorry, that was just so funny!" He goes into another fit of laughter and I roll my eyes. Five minutes go by, and he finally finishes. "Okay. Now I'm okay. What spell did you use anyway?" I can tell that he is holding back more laughter.

"Well, I was sending a letter. I didn't think _that_ was gonna happen!" Now that I think about it, it is pretty funny, and I giggle a little.

Fendrel looks like he had just gotten an epiphany. "Markl, I have the best idea ever..."

* * *

"All clear!" Fendrel tells me, and I nod. "Let's do this prank." While Hadrian and his roommate Sadon are in the dining hall eating dinner with the rest of the school, Fendrel and I had sneaked into their room, ready to perform our plan.

I sneak into the closet and take out another letter that I am going to send to Howl in a couple minutes. Fendrel and I did some more research on the sending spell, and we figured out that the gas can cause severe rashes for three months. It also lasts for at least twelve hours, unless you spray it with water or griffin saliva. We also found out that Hadrian and Sadon were supposed to return to their room in about five minutes, so I had to do the spell quickly. I take out the letter and my wand. Setting the letter on the ground, I position my wand and cast the spell. It goes through the same routine the other piece of paper did; floating up to the vent, folding up, putting itself into an envelope, and finally disappearing.

I run out of the room and into the elevator with Fendrel. Once we return to our room, we high five and laugh at our idea. Although it is mean, it is worth it.

We change into clothes that aren't all black and look like we are criminals and go down to the hall to eat. Surprisingly, that's the first fun thing that has happened in this cruel orphanage.

* * *

HOWL POV

As I am laying in my bathtub with bubbles surrounding me, I here a small explosion. The next thing I know, there is a note on my forehead. Furrowing my brow in curiousness, I peel it off and unfold it. I skim through it and once I see who it's from at the bottom, a smile creeps onto my face. I feel like I could jump for joy, but I know that that's not very mature, so I just keep my composure and finish up in the tub.

After applying all of my precious hair products and potions, I hurry to my room and dry up, then throw on a clean outfit to wear for the day. Next, I sit at the desk and quickly scribble a reply to Markl at the orphanage. I am so excited that my hand is quivering and I accidentally splatter some ink on my newly made letter. Frowning, I write my explanation for the big black dot in the middle of the page and sign my name at the bottom. After I finish writing my name, I rush downstairs to get the bottle full of griffin saliva to make the green gas go away after I have cast the spell. I sprint back up the stairs and open the bottle, then say the spell and spray saliva all over the room.

The letter has been sent. Hopefully Markl will receive it soon and reply back. On the way back to my room, another letter floats down onto my blond hair and I curiously read it. It's another letter from Markl. _He must really miss me! Because, I mean, I'm awesome_. I think conceitedly and flip my hair as I walk through the door. This letter is explaining everything that's happening, but the other is explaining how much he hates it there and what it's like. I feel horrible for the poor kid. I meant for him to have a good life in a wizard orphanage, and for someone sweet and really good to him to adopt him.

Again, I write a letter back to him apologizing and letting him know that if he needs anything to just send me a letter. I'll always be here for him, no matter what.

* * *

MARKL POV

As I am eating down in the main dining hall, I here an alarm go off. It is coming from upstairs, and Fendrel glances at me with a smirk on his face. After a while, Hadrian and Sadon come down, coughing and their faces blue.

"What on earth happened to you two?" Ms. Goldenburry asks them, a horrified expression on her face. "You are so blue! Let's take you to the office, shall we?" Ms. Goldenburry escorts them both out of the dining hall, and once they are out of earshot, the whole room bursts out into laughter. Fendrel and I flash each other another sneaky look and grin. We had done it.

* * *

After dinner, Fendrel and I return to our dorm and finish our homework, talking and giggling once in a while. We finally finish our homework and go to bed after the long day. Although this is the worst orphanage ever made, there is still more to come, and I have to learn to accept it.

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Again, I'm sorry for not updating, but I'll try to be a good girl and receive my laptop again ;) But really, I try my best on writing the next chapter, but this is all I can give you for now... I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and please review! :)

**p.s. I just wanted to let you all know, if you didn't know already, that this story will be over soon :( But let me know if you have any ideas for a Howl's Moving Castle story, and I will be glad to look into it! Also tell me if you want me to end this story or finish it by rewriting the movie in Howl and Markl's POV. Thanks everyone! Again, please review and let me know what you think :)**


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